Division in Bengal Cong over Mamata’s outreach

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s outreach to the CPM and Congress, urging the two Opposition parties to coordinate with the Trinamool Congress (TMC) on national issues against the BJP has generated differences within the state Congress.

According to Congress sources, while a section of party leaders welcomed the decision considering the BJP a greater threat, another section opposed it citing TMC’s alleged defection tactics against Congress.

However, Mamata made it clear that she was not necessarily talking about the three sides (TMC, Left Front, Congress) coming together politically.

A section of Congress leaders in favour of the TMC, Left Front and Congress jointly opposing the BJP in Bengal has described her comment as a “welcome move”.

The state Congress leaders in favour of Mamata’s suggestion argue that after the BJP’s success in the Lok Sabha elections, the political scenario has changed. They added that in the current scenario, opposing the BJP is a “bigger responsibility”.

“The political scenarios before and after the Lok Sabha elections are different. New challenges and issues have come up. While some can see the changes, others are unable to do so. Opposing the BJP is the need of the hour and a bigger responsibility,” said a state Congress leader who favours Mamata’s stand.

However, the stand has been met with vehement opposition from within the state Congress by leaders who rejected Mamata’s comments citing TMC’s alleged tactics of engineering defection in other parties, including the Congress.

They also pointed out how the TMC not only roped in legislators from Opposition parties but also took over several civic and rural bodies by defection tactics.

“Who do they (TMC) say about taking away our MLAs and several civic and rural body members through the back door? What will they say about misusing state administration and police to suppress Congress,” said a state Congress leader opposing Mamata’s statement.

He also said that “flip flop alliances” are of no use to anyone.

“It will be foolish for the Congress to believe in what she (Mamata) says,” he said.